As graduation approaches for the class of 2025, many AHS student-athletes are at different stages of the recruitment process. This journey is both exciting and challenging. Aspen’s top athletes have learned lessons from their experiences and they have valuable advice to offer other athletes looking to improve their game and compete at the next level.
Lacrosse Player – Haley Schmela
Haley Schmela is a dedicated lacrosse player from the class of 2025 who began her recruitment process during the summer of her sophomore year and continued through her junior year.
“That summer is the best time for lacrosse recruiting,” Schmela stated.
Schmela began by sending out over fifteen hundred emails to coaches across the country to a variety of colleges and universities. She emphasized the importance of getting in contact with schools early in the process. Additionally, she believes that playing for a club team is essential for anyone hoping to be recruited.
“Coming out of Aspen, the level here is not nearly as competitive,” Schmela said. Players need to find opportunities outside of their local school teams to gain exposure and improve their skills against better competition.
Schmela reflected on her experience playing for Team 180, a high-level club lacrosse team known for its strong collegiate recruiting.
“A couple of years ago, they had the number one recruit for the class of 2024, so playing on a team with that reputation attracts coaches to come to your games,” Schmela said.
In addition to playing club lacrosse, Schmela gave advice on the importance of staying in contact with coaches and being proactive.
“Be persistent with the schools you want to go to and never stop reaching out to your top choices,” Schmela said.
Schmela encourages aspiring AHS athletes to put their names out there as much as possible, to showcase their talent, and to try out for more competitive teams. This will help them gain a deeper understanding of their sport and what it takes to play at the next level.
Football Players – Henry Hurd and Alec Slessinger-Hall
Henry Hurd, a standout 2025 AHS football captain and Brown University commit, shared that starting to reach out to coaches early was a big part of his success.
“I began reaching out to coaches a couple of months before my junior year,” Hurd said.
It was about making connections, to begin with, but he started having serious conversations after his junior year football season when his highlights and stats were the best they had ever been. Additionally, Hurd advocates for a strong academic work ethic.
“Grades are super important… keeping those up gives you way more options,” Hurd explained.
Academics can open opportunities that athletic talent alone might not. With his 4.6 GPA and high ranks among football recruits in Colorado, Henry received offers from various universities including NotreDame, Princeton, and Northwestern.
His strategy to get these offers was to strictly focus on the schools he wanted to attend and build relationships with their coaches. This personal connection made a significant difference in the recruitment process for him. Choosing Brown University felt like the right fit for him, significantly due to the connections he made with the coaching staff.
“They showed me love first, and their offense is perfect for me,” Hurd said.
He is excited about joining a program that aligns with his goals. His advice to younger athletes is to work on improving their skills during their freshman and sophomore years, and once they feel ready, they should start reaching out to coaches during their junior year or whenever they feel confident enough to take that step.
Both Hurd and his fellow teammate Alec Slesinger-Hall, a highly recruited football defensive end, emphasized that Twitter, recently rebranded to X, is the best platform for communicating with coaches. Slesinger-Hall decided to create a Twitter account at the beginning of his junior year.
His social media effectively made a connection with coaches as he is soon making a visit to Drake University to scout their football team.
“I started following and messaging coaches with my highlight tape.”
Slesinger-Hall made sure to include his grades, height, weight, and athletic achievements in his messages to help him stand out against other high school athletes.
“For some sports, showcases and camps are really important, but getting your name out there as much as you can is key,” Slessinger-Hall advised.